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Hating my Step Daughters

Arielle's picture

So I have been with my common law husband for 13 years. When I met him his kids were small. 2 girls.. now aged 22 and 20. 
When they were growing up( which actually hasn't happened, they are both like 8 year olds) we had them half of the week. Now they are here ALL of the time! Which, I did not sign up for. They are both princesses and I would not be sad if I never saw them again. 
 

I do not think that we should be supporting them and mostly I just want them out of our house! I don't even know why, but my hate grows daily. I am so resentful because they are phoney and manipulative. 
It has gotten to the point of me thinking about moving out. Advice on how I can deal with this another way? If If I say anything to DH about his leech's it is an instant fight. 
How can I get past this? I can't fake niceties anymore. I basically just hide and ignore them but my life should be better.

Comments

CLove's picture

1. Make certain that ALL your finances are completely separated. And things are fairly paid for. Theres four of you, so you only pay for 1/4 of your housing (unless it belongs to husband then you pay nothing) and food you only buy food for yourself. Contribute a nominal amount to cover your utilities, etc. Lock up your personal stuff and shampoo, toothpaste, etc. 

Disengage from them all. Husband and his mini-wife moochers. Do nothing for them (* see above)

2. Get your ducks in a row. To leave. You arent married. If you hold joint assetts, get a lawyer involved.

Talking to him and he goes into rage mode? Oh yea that happens to me, and its a deflection tool, to get you to shut up.

Arielle's picture

Yes every time I say anything .. for instance a thing as simple as emptying the vacuum cleaner .. I asked him to TELL her to do it, but wasn't getting done. She vacuums her own room and then just leaves it .. lazy b----h! So I bring it up and we end up in a huge argument over something that ridiculous!! He needs to open his eyes. I feel like I have 2 roommates that I can't deal with 

Shieldmaiden's picture

DH needs to set an end date of when these girls will be out on their own. He needs to have the talk with them and then enforce the move out, even if that means putting their stuff on the curb. 

Do the SD's work? Go to college? 

Once they are out, DH needs to let them know they will not be moving in under any circumstances. 

My SD's are similar, and I've been with their dad 13 years also. Their ages are 18, 20, and 22 and all three live with BM because she has no rules. My DH agreed they will never move back with us and he has started to stand up for himself more and more, thank god. I hope this works out for you but you do have to tell DH that you won't tolerate any more, and mean it. 

Arielle's picture

Yeah the 22 year old works like 16 hours a week it's a joke.. then complains that she's so tired . The other princess is home from college and also works about 20 hours a week.Her boyfriend comes and stays every second weekend as welll! FML

grannyd's picture

 

It’s been my experience that a ‘Disney Dad’ will be reluctant to jettison his adult spawn, despite the fact that they cause disruption in the home and discomfort for the DD’s wife/partner. These men are so fraught with guilt over having created a broken home for their children (and, obviously, because they love them and view them through rose-coloured glasses), that they become incapable of finding a balance of between what's acceptable for a healthy marriage and what’s best for their adult bios.

What worked for my particular, domestic horror (manipulative mini-wife) was consulting with a therapist who specialized in step-family crises. Like any person who is indoctrinated into a particular mindset, after years of habituation, Disney Dads need a neutral, third party to open their minds to reality.

Not long after I moved in with my husband, we began to have hurtful disagreements that we’d never experienced during the 5 years of our courtship. It was so awful! I’d left my charming home, my family, the job that I loved and all of my friends to move far away and marry my husband. I felt that I'd been plunged from a happy, independent life into a domestic hell, ruled by a furtive, devious, teenaged manipulator. 

My husband is an intelligent and reasonable man who loves me deeply and was prepared to do whatever it took to save our marriage. Our therapist convinced him that he was damaging his daughter with his infantilizing (the therapist found SD to be seriously immature for a 13-year-old) and his failure to correct the girl’s passive/aggressive behaviours. The therapist also impressed upon my husband that I’d had enough and was ready to walk. Neither of us wanted to end the marriage; we adored each other!

Without the eye-opening wisdom/experience of our talented counsellor, I doubt that our marriage could have survived. I was a confident woman, who had enjoyed more than one offer from attractive, successful men, and was certain that I could land on my feet in the event that I dissolved the marriage. In my opinion, it’s important that your husband appreciate the fact that there are limits to your tolerance (right, Lilly?) and that you will leave if he fails to address his domestic issues.

Life is short, Arielle, and the longer you spend in an unjust, troubled environment, the more you cheat yourself of the happiness that you deserve.

 

Lillywy00's picture

Exactly 

Some of these Disneydads think they're really slick 

Once they have you "locked in", If they think you can't/wont leave....there is zero motivation for them to change themselves for the better 

Lillywy00's picture

Delete

MorningMia's picture

What worked for my particular, domestic horror (manipulative mini-wife) was consulting with a therapist who specialized in step-family crises. 
 

What granny's said, all of it. And especially this.  If DH and I had not seen a qualified therapist familiar with step-family garbage, we would not be together today. That objective third party observance and input is gold. 
Hiding in your own house is nightmarish. If SO doesn't agree to see a counselor with you, would you go alone? 

Arielle's picture

I would but I'm not sure that I can afford it. And doesn't he need to go? To make changes? I would be willing to do pretty much anything to get some peace of mind back 

Lillywy00's picture

One, both, or either. 

Ideally couples therapy but if a partner doesn't want to attend individual can still be helpful 

I went to individual therapy first, then the Disneyland Dad I dealt with didn't want to be left out and knew intervention was needed so he agreed to attend couples therapy, so I was doing both and sometimes I've done just one or the other. 
 

Bonus if the therapist has experience in step-family dynamics 

Rags's picture

They are adults. Have your attorney send them an eviction notice. When daddy loses his shit, tell him that this is not negotiable.

Why should you leave. They can. Then the choice for daddy is to stay, or go.  Based on his choice, respond accordingly.

Start banking assets now, just in case.

ESMOD's picture

First, you should make sure that you are in a position to stand on your own two feet.  could you financially make it without him?  is the home his?  does he provide the majority of the finances?  do you work and if so, could you make it?  Because having the ability to walk away makes things a  lot easier for you... otherwise.. he has you in a tough spot and it will be harder to talk to him about his daughters should be financially independent.. if you aren't able to do that yourself.

Second, the approach here can make a difference.  Doesn't he want his girls to be happy and have a fulfilling independent life and enjoy living on their own?  Why doesn't he want to help them do that.. encourage education...jobs.. etc.. (I am assuming for this that when you say that they are 8 year olds.. that you are just meaning immature and that they are not actually disabled in some way mentally or medically).  Parents should want to see their kids blossom.. build enriching lives.. why doesn't he want that for his daughters?  

See the focus is wanting the best for them.. doesn't he want the best for his kids?  How can he get them to reach for their best life?  

Harry's picture

This unhealthy relationship with your SO and his DD is already set.  It's the three losers together against you.  If your SO rather live with his DD  then you. It's unfortunate,but he must go..  then all of them must get a job. To pay for a appointment, food, electricity. Ect.  This will sound frightening to him